The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be the first with FIFA’s newly expanded format, moving from a 32-team tournament to a 48-team tournament.
How many venues will host matches at the 2026 World Cup?
In the initial bidding process, 41 cities with 43 venues submitted bids to FIFA hoping to host 2026 World Cup matches.
Of the initial pool, cuts were made by the official 2026 World Cup bid committee made up of executives from the United States, Mexico, and Canada bid group.
The final list, which was submitted to FIFA as part of the official 2026 World Cup bid, included 23 venues that are up for selection. These 23 venues, chosen in 2018 and submitted to FIFA, were cut to 16 venues across North America, including 11 from the United States, three from Mexico and two from Canada.
What host cities were selected by FIFA to host 2026 World Cup matches?
The following cities and venues across North America are confirmed by FIFA as official selections to host 2026 World Cup matches.
| Market | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Mexico | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 | |
| New York City | NY/NJ | USA | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Dallas | TX | USA | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 |
| Kansas City | KS | USA | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 |
| Houston | TX | USA | NRG Stadium | 71,795 |
| Atlanta | GA | USA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 |
| Los Angeles | CA | USA | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 |
| Philadelphia | PA | USA | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,176 |
| Seattle | WA | USA | Lumen Field | 69,000 |
| San Francisco | CA | USA | Levi’s Stadium | 68,500 |
| Boston | MA | USA | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 |
| Miami | FL | USA | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 |
| Vancouver | BC | Canada | BC Place | 54,000 |
| Monterrey | NL | Mexico | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
| Guadalajara | JAL | Mexico | Estadio Akron | 46,232 |
| Toronto | ON | Canada | BMO Field | 45,500* |
*BMO Field’s current capacity is 30,000, which is below FIFA’s World Cup regulation minimum. Part of BMO Field’s bid submission is an expansion to a capacity of 45,500.
What venues have been cut from the list?
The list has already been significantly narrowed from the initial bid submissions sent to the 2026 World Cup bid committee for the USA, Canada, and Mexico bid chosen by FIFA. Other venues withdrew their submissions despite being included in the bidding process.
Withdrew bid submissions before final reveal
| City | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | DC | USA | FedEx Field* | 82,000 |
| Minneapolis | MN | USA | US Bank Stadium | 66,655 |
| Chicago | IL | USA | Soldier Field | 61,500 |
| Montreal | QC | Canada | Olympic Stadium | 61,004 |
*FedEx field is no longer under consideration for 2026 World Cup matches, as Washington DC has merged its bid with Baltimore. If selected, M&T Bank Stadium will host matches while Washington DC will host a fan fest.
Eliminated from contention in first cut
| City | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | LA | USA | Caesars Superdome | 73,208 |
| Birmingham | AL | USA | Legion Field | 71,594 |
| Pittsburgh | PA | USA | Heinz Field | 69,690 |
| Jacksonville | FL | USA | EverBank Field | 69,132 |
| Cleveland | OH | USA | FirstEnergy Field | 67,895 |
| San Antonio | TX | USA | Alamodome | 64,000 |
| Indianapolis | IN | USA | Lucas Oil Stadium | 62,421 |
| Orlando | FL | USA | Camping World Stadium | 60,219 |
| Regina | SK | Canada | Mosaic Stadium | 33,350 |
| Ottawa | OT | Canada | TD Place Stadium | 24,000 |
Eliminated from contention in second cut
| City | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | CA | USA | Memorial Coliseum | 93,607 |
| Dallas | TX | USA | Cotton Bowl | 92,100 |
| Charlotte | NC | USA | Bank of America Stadium | 75,525 |
| Las Vegas | NV | USA | Allegiant Stadium | 72,000 |
| Tampa | FL | USA | Raymond James Stadium | 65,890 |
| Glendale | AZ | USA | University of Phoenix Stadium | 63,400 |
| Salt Lake City | UT | USA | Rice-Eccles Stadium | 48,600 |
Eliminated from contention in final FIFA cut
| Market | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | CA | USA | Rose Bowl | 92,000 |
| Denver | CO | USA | Mile High Stadium | 76,125 |
| Baltimore* | MD | USA | M&T Bank Stadium | 71,006 |
| Nashville | TN | USA | Nissan Stadium | 69,143 |
| Cincinnati | OH | USA | Paul Brown Stadium | 65,515 |
| Edmonton | AB | Canada | Commonwealth Stadium | 56,302 |
*Baltimore’s bid is officially merged with Washington DC’s, meaning if chosen, M&T Bank Stadium will host matches while Washington DC will host a fan fest
